Report: Hurtt could face major sanctions

The NCAA’s Notice of Allegations in the Nevin Shapiro scandal at the University of Miami is iminent, and according to Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com, Louisville defensive line coach/associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt could face serious allegations.

Feldman’s article claims that Hurtt will be cited with “unethical conduct,” better known in NCAA circles as a violation of Bylaw 10.1.

“They are pretty much throwing everything at him,” the source said of Hurtt. “They have him on essentially everything that was brought to the attention of the NCAA, some of which has been publicly known because of (Shapiro) but there are some other things that did not involve Shapiro that they’re charging him with.”

The source added that after the NCAA began investigating Shapiro’s claims, student-athletes detailed other violations allegedly committed by Hurtt and Aubrey Hill, another former UM assistant who had resigned from Florida weeks before the start of the 2012 season. The coaches are expected to be cited for “unethical conduct,” better known in NCAA circles as a violation of Bylaw 10.1, said the source. Among the charges the NCAA will allege against the former UM football assistants are impermissible transportation, impermissible lodging as well as impermissible benefits, the source said.

Lousiville officials said that the Notice of Allegations had not been received as of Monday night. However, once the notice is received, those named in the case have 90 days to respond in writing and also receive a hearing before the Committee on Infractions. A final ruling could take as long as six months after that hearing.

Earlier Monday CBS reported that Missouri coach Frank Haith could face serious allegations — and a possible “show cause” penalty from the NCAA — over incidents during his basketball coaching tenure at Miami.

If Hurtt were to receive a similar penalty and it were to stick then it’s certain he would not remain on U of L’s staff. Coaches who receive notices of allegations have 90 days to respond and are accorded due process by the NCAA, but in the event of a show-cause penalty any school that wants to employ that coach must assume the sanctions placed on that coach by the NCAA. In addition, any school hiring a coach with a show-cause penalty in place must appear before the NCAA committee on infractions and show cause for why it should not be penalized just for hiring that coach.

In other words, a show-cause penalty effectively makes a coach virtually unemployable by an NCAA institution for the term of the show-cause.

Hurtt, who is in his third season at Louisville, has played a key role both as a recruiter and position coach on Charlie Strong’s staff. In 2011, he named ESPN.com’s National Recruiter of the Year, serving as primary recruiter for four Rivals.com four-star prospects, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, defensive backs Gerod Holliman and Andrew Johnson, and wide receiver Eli Rogers, among others.

A former Hurricane player, Hurtt was the recruiting coordinator at Miami from 2007-09 before leaving to join the U of L staff as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator in 2010. All of the reported allegations against him are from his tenure at Miami.

The investigation began nearly two years ago after Shapiro, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for a $930 million Ponzi scheme, told Yahoo! that he gave thousands of impermissible benefits, primarily to football players, from 2002 to 2010. According to the Yahoo! Sports report in August 2011:

Shapiro told federal agents in taped interviews that on two occasions, he paid for Hurtt to bring large groups of Hurricanes football recruits to dinner at Miami Beach restaurant Café Grazie.

Shapiro told federal agents in taped interviews that he provided Hurtt an interest-free loan of $5,000 – one $2,500 cash payment and one $2,500 check. Shapiro said during his interviews with federal agents that Hurtt did repay the loans. However, Shapiro said he knew it was an NCAA violation to provide interest-free loans to coaches.

On a Friday night in 2008, Shapiro said Hurtt arranged to bring three Miami recruits – Andre Debose, Ray-Ray Armstrong and Dyron Dye – to Shapiro’s $6 million Miami Beach mansion for the purposes of the booster recruiting the players. Then-wide receivers coach Aubrey Hill also attended the players’ visit to Shapiro’s home.

During his Friday night recruiting pitch, Shapiro took Hurtt, Hill, Debose, Armstrong and Dye through his mansion, stopping at one point to showcase a specially built closet filled with game-worn college and NFL jerseys of former Hurricanes greats. After the tour of the house, Shapiro took the three players for a drive on Alton Road in his $200,000 Mercedes S65.

Shapiro said Hurtt was also on hand when he entertained Debose, Armstrong and Dye in his mansion. Shapiro said another recruit, Olivier Vernon, was also on hand. He said Vernon’s visit to the booster’s home was also arranged by Hurtt.

Shapiro told Yahoo!, “Hurtt became a really good friend of mine. He kept me posted on what was going on with the recruiting inside the university.”

Yahoo! provided phone records of cell phone conversations between Hurtt and Shapiro, and a copy of a $2,500 check from Shapiro to Hurtt.